✰ 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫: 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐬 𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧 ✰

𝟐𝟎

Eren's POV

I woke up late at night to what sounded like...whimpering? I slowly got up and looked at the people sleeping soundly around me, but nobody seemed hurt.

I scratched my head and tried to go back to sleep. Shortly after, I heard somebody angrily walk in, throwing themselves on their bed. I looked over to see who it was.

"Armin? What's wrong with him?" I thought.

But he didn't see me looking at him. It was too dark. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, digging his  face in his hands, his hair scruffy and his clothes messy.

"Is he okay? Did something happen to him?" I started to worry.

I started getting up, until I remembered Y/N. Right. She doesn't want me to get in the way of things.

I sighed and dropped my head on my pillow again. "He's fine, he's alright. I don't need to ask him anything."

Armin looked over from the sound that I was making, but he didn't say anything.

He couldn't see my face, but I could see his. The moonlight fell on his whole body, and when he looked over at me I could see that he was angry. Crying and angry.

My eyes widened. I had never seen him like that since we were kids. Now I was really starting to wonder if he was okay.

I was still for a few minutes, wondering what would happen if I got up and talked to him. What if Y/N found out? And even if I did talk to him, would he even need me? He has Y/N, and they love each other, right? I'm pretty sure he could talk to her about this. He doesn't need me, I'm just a third wheel.

After a while, I just decided to get up. Screw it, he's still my friend. Just because I'm asking him if he's okay doesn't mean I'm coming on to him or anything.

I walked silently over to his bed and sat down on the other side. He jumped slightly and looked over at me.

"Oh, it's you, Eren. Why are you up?" He sniffed and wiped a tear off of his cheek, quickly straightening out his clothes and sitting up.

"Relax, Armin. I'm your best friend, you don't need to act like nothing's wrong." I tried to smile and laugh, but with everything happening lately, and then having to watch the man I love cry, I couldn't. He slowly stopped, hunching back over, still refusing to look directly at my eyes.

"I know."

There was a new tension in the air that had never been there before. It felt like he knew something he wasn't supposed to, and it was somehow going to make me miserable. I tightened my fist.

"So... what's wrong?" I spoke with a quiet voice.

"Nothing. I just had a fight with Y/N, that's all." He sniffed again and brought his knees up to his face.

"What, why? Are you alright?" A fight? Why would they have a fight?

He didn't answer me. I felt like I did something wrong, so I shut up. It was so awkward. Just as I felt like giving up, telling him goodnight and going to bed, he spoke up.

"Eren, I know." His voice broke a little since he was still crying, but I was frightened.

He knows.

"What... do you know?"

"Don't act dumb, please." He tightened his arms around his legs.

I turned towards him slowly.

"Do you hate me for it?" I gripped the blanket in my hand.

"No, Eren."

"Are you angry?"

He finally turned around, immediately looking into my eyes.

"I don't know Eren, do you think I shouldn't be? I mean, think about it. I have a wonderful girlfriend, I have my best friend, and I'm finally happy. But my girlfriend ends up keeping secrets from me about my best friend, and my best friend ends up lying to me. Everything is blowing up in my face, so yeah, I'm a little angry. Should I be?" His voice was cracking, and the small tears going down his face turned into a stream.

"I'm..." I fell silent.

"What? You're sorry?" He looked away and wiped his tears again.

"Yes, I am. I really am."

He moved the hair in his face. "No, I'm sorry for yelling. I know what Y/N said to you. It's not your fault that you lied to me. And uh, you're my best friend, right? I'm not mad at you. I know what Y/N told you. And I didn't know you felt that way about me. I didn't know that you were hurt because of it. I'm sorry."

I was dumbfounded.

"I- No, no, Armin. It's fine, really. I'm okay."

He moved closer. "But what happened to you wasn't okay. I promise that I'll make up for it. I don't want my best friend to suffer for something that isn't his fault."

"...Okay. Thank you." We smiled awkwardly at each other.

I got up and went back to my bed, but I couldn't fall asleep. I kept on blushing and my heart was beating fast.

I sighed. Damnit Armin, you just made things harder.